Canada: Rockies road trip

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My husband and I want to do a two-week road trip around the Canadian Rockies in late May/early June. Where would be best to start? Vancouver or Calgary on a round trip, or should we start in Vancouver and finish in Calgary – or would that make the car hire more expensive?

Tim Jepson, Canada expert, writes

I would fly to Calgary, pick up a car, explore the Rockies and finish in Vancouver, dropping the car when you arrive, not at the airport – you don’t need a car in the city, which deserves at least two or three days. You may secure better car-hire deals with local companies, but Avis (0844 544 5566; avis.co.uk) is typical of the bigger car-hire operators in that its current price (subject to change) for a week’s hire, round-trip from Calgary, is from £166 against £209.55 from Calgary to Vancouver airport.

However, I think it’s a relatively small premium worth paying as it opens up better and more far-reaching itineraries. It’s debatable whether Calgary deserves a whole day (I’d say yes, just), but either way it’s only 90 minutes’ drive to Banff, the Rockies’ best first base. From Banff, drive to Radium and back in a day to see Kootenay National Park, then head for Lake Louise (on the more scenic Bow Valley Parkway, not Highway 1) and another day’s round trip to Field or beyond to see Yoho National Park. The Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper is unmissable.

Then drive via Mount Robson and Clearwater (see Wells Gray) into British Columbia, where I’d tour the Kootenays region (Nakusp, Kaslo, Nelson) – a detour, but worth it if you have two weeks – as opposed to the rather overrated Okanagan.

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